Bowling ball with flat sided finger holes



Oct. 18, 1949. 5, J -BATE$ 2,485,471

BOWLING BALL .wl'mfLA'r SIDED FINGER HOLES Fi -led' 'Aug. e, 1946 Fig.1. a

Patented Oct. 18, i949 UN-treasures PATENT OFFICE FINGER HOLES Sulley J .Bates, Lorain, Ohio, assignor to Stowe- Woodward, Inc., Newton Upper Falls, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 6, 1946, Serial No. 688,754 3 Claims. (01. 273-63) This invention relates to bowling balls and the object is to provide an improved construction and arrangement .of the digit-receiving holes. My invention will be well understood by reference to the following description of the illustrative embodiment thereof shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a ball illustrative of the invention; i

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2, respectively; and

Fig. 5 is a geometrical diagram.

Abowling ball as used in the standard bowling game (big pins or bottle pins) is of massive construction and measures about 27 inches in circumference and weighs from 12 to 16 pounds. Such a ball cannot be grasped as one would grasp a baseball or does in fact grasp the smaller balls used in bowling at candle pins or duck pins. The balls are therefore provided with holes to ree ceive the thumb and one or more of the fingers to permit the ball to be lifted and bowled. A three-hole ball with a thumb hole and two'finger holes is generally preferred by experienced and skillful bowlers.

To promote and to permit skillful play the holes should be so arranged as to provide a secure grasp in lifting and swinging the ball and an easy release. The relation of the hand to the ball on successive shots should be as nearly identical as possible to permit uniform results from the same skillfully coordinated muscular movements. The arrangement which I am about to describe is superior to those hitherto known in obtaining such results.

In the drawing I illustrate a ball I0 having a thumb hole l2 and two finger holes l4 and which except for the cross-sectional form and orientation of the holes may be and is here illustrated as of the kind shown in my Patent No. 1,927,654. As in that patent (see Fig. 2), the holes are straight but, if desired, they might be in part curved, as described in the patent to Shepard No. 2,339,954. I have not attempted to illustrate in detail the angular position of the axis of the thumb hole or of the parallel axes of the finger holes since that is fully described in my above mentioned patent. Preferably the axes do not extend radially but are pitched or undercut, as seen in Fig. 2.

The holes l2 and M, as in the case of holes of circular cross section conventional in the prior art, fit the digits which are to be received therein only with such degree of looseness as to permit z 2 the digits easily to be inserted and disengaged. That is, the digits, so far as is practically possible,

engage the ball at fixedly related points about its surface, the relation of thesepoints beingchosen when the holes are formed to suit the hand of the prospective user, as will be well understood. The.

grip on the ball is effected by the opposed surfaces of the fingers and thumb when bent in grasping position and may be considered as exerted centrally along the palmar sides of the fingersv in parallel lines and centrally along the palmar side of the thumb. In accordance with my invention the fingers press against transversely flat surfaces 16 and H! of a width at least substantially as great as the width of the digits which oppose them.

The most practical way known to me to form the holes is to bore a hole of circular cross section either straight or otherwise in accordance with the practices of the prior art and corresponding to. the circle 0 in Fig. 5. The fillets f at either side thereof may then be cleaned out toprovide a cross section which may be described as a semi-circle on the diameter of which is erected a'rectangle having an altitude equal to the radius. The flat surface referred to is the longer side .of this rectangle parallel to the diameter.

The flat surfaces l8 of the finger holes I are preferably aligned and lie in the same plane as indicated in Fig. 1. The word plane is not strictly accurate if the axes of the hole are not straight but provides an easily understood expression which will not mislead in view of this comment. The fiat surface It of the thumb hole l2 faces toward the finger holes preferably at an angle to that plane which is determined to suit the individual hand.

The exact geometrical form of the bore illustrated in Fig. 5 is not imperative. The rear round portion of the bore is not engaged by the fingers when the ball is in use except as a guide surface in inserting them and its exact contour is not material. The rectangular form of the part of the bore defining the fiat surface is also not necessary provided that a fiat surface of adequate width is provided. Thus the sides, vertical in Fig. 5, might incline somewhat either inwardly or outwardly, or the cross section of the entire opening might be half an ellipse.

Experience has shown that a ball with holes constructed as described handles more easily than one with conventional holes and permits a full application of the user's skill in a facile and accurate manner whereby such skill may be ex erted for the attainment of the desired end of a higher score.

I believe that the following analysis explains in part the improved results.

If we consider, for example, the fleshy ball of the thumb inserted in a hole of circular form, when the fingers are closed together to grasp the ball it will be quickly compressed to the curve of the circle. Further pressure crowds together the flesh from either side of the arc of engagement. This may be verified in practice by observing that parallel lines of pressure will be-temporarily indented in the skin. Thus there is a tendency for the finger to bind in the hole; In the case of a fiat sided hole, on the contrary, the

finger engages against a fiat surface and the flesh freely expands into the clearance at either side corresponding to the location of the fillets in Fig. 5.

Fig. 1 of the drawing represents the ball as it would appear when held in the crock of the left arm by a bowler about to insert the fingers of his right hand in the holes. First the fingers are inserted in the finger holes l4 and then the thumb in the thumb hole [2. The lower margins of the former define a straight line engaged by the palmar side of the fingers and uniquely determine a plane against which the fingers press. In the case of round holes by the inadvertence the ball or the fingers might be slightly rotated so that the center lines of their palmar surfaces might face 7:30 oclock rather than 6:00 o'clock. The feel of the margin of the hole would be the same. Then when the thumbwas inserted, the hand would be somewhatcramped or twisted sufiicient to cause a variation in the delivery of the ball.- An unconscious error might be introduced which would prevent the bowler from repeating his previous perfect delivery or from skillfully correcting the in'accuracy thereof. The possibility of such an. error is much minimized by the present construction.

I am aware that the invention may be 811% bodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential: attributes thereof, 4

providing an easy fit for the digit to be received therein, the thumb hole having a transversely fiat surface of width at least substantially as wide as the thumb and facing toward the finger holes and angularl'y related to the common tangent plane of the palmar surfaces of the fingers received in the finger holes.

2. A bowling ball of massive construction having a thumb hole and a pair of finger holes, each providing an easy fit for the digit to be received therein, the finger Iiol'es having transversely flat surfaces of a width at least substantially as great as the fingers received. therein for engagement by the palmar surfaces or the fingers.

3. A bowling ball of massive construction hav-- ing a thumb hole and. a pair of finger holes, eachproviding an easy fit for the digit to be received therein, each hole having a transversely flat surface at least as wide as the digitto be received therein and disposed for engagement substantially centrally thereof by the palmar surface of said digit.

SULLEY J. BATES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are or record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 1,927,654 Bates Sept. 19, 1933 2,274,522 Bomze Feb. 24'; 1942 7347.881 Cahen May 2, 11744 

